cling

intransitive-verb
UK: /klɪŋ/
US: /klɪŋ/

  1. To hold on tightly to someone or something.

    1. The baby likes to cling to his mother.
    2. After the accident, she continued to cling to the hope that her husband was still alive.

  2. To stay very close to someone because you need them or are afraid.

    1. The little girl will cling to her teddy bear at night.
    2. Children tend to cling to their parents when they are introduced to new people or environments.

  3. To stick to something or someone.

    1. Wet clothes cling to the skin.
    2. The fog seemed to cling to the river, making it difficult to see the other side.

  4. To continue to believe or do something, even if it is difficult or unpopular.

    1. Some people cling to old traditions.
    2. Even though the evidence was against him, he continued to cling to his original version of the story.

Synonyms

adhere stick grasp hold embrace grip
cling noun

  1. The act of holding on tightly.

    1. She gave a tight cling to her mother.
    2. His cling to the past prevented him from moving forward and embracing new opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "cling" in English means: To hold on tightly to someone or something., To stay very close to someone because you need them or are afraid., To stick to something or someone., To continue to believe or do something, even if it is difficult or unpopular..

The phonetic transcription of "cling" is /klɪŋ/ in British English and /klɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "cling": adhere, stick, grasp, hold, embrace, grip.

Example usage of "cling": "The baby likes to cling to his mother.". More examples on the page.